Mine vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism having a head frame with an adjustable outer end portion



March 31, 1959 J. R. SIBLEY HAVING A HEAD FRAME WITH AN ADJUSTABLE OUTEREND PORTION Original Filed July 5, 1949 MINE VEIN-AT'IAACKING ANDDISINTEGRATING MECHANI 2 Sheets-Sheet l lMarch 31, 1959 J. R. SIBLEY2,879,981

MINE-VEIN-ATTACKING AND DISINTEGRATING MECHANISM HAVING A HEAD FRAMEWITH AN ADJUSTBLE OUTER END PORTION Original Filed July 5, 1949 2Sl'1ee`tS-Shee 2 MINE; VEIN .-ATTACKIN G AND1DISINTEGRATING 1 HAVING AFRAME WITH ADJUSTABLE v OUTER END 1PORTION JohnRfSibley, Franklin, Pa.,assgnorto' Joy Manufacturing Company, PittsburghgfPa'., a` corporationof lPennsylvania Original application July 5,.,1949,-SerialNo..102,996,l

-now lPatent No. 2,798,113), dated`July9, `1957. Di-

vided and` this application June16, j1955, Serial No. .515,968 j.

solid mine vein. YIn suchan` apparatus,.the attacking and`disintegrating mechanism.. has a,.swingable head framev ab'out'which aseries of endless disintegrating -chains are guided for orbitalcirculation and the outer endportion of the head frame lisadjustabletozprovide for. proper tensioning of the disintegratingchains. The'p'reisent invention contemplatesA improvementsv in suchmining apparatus in that the adjustabledouter endportion on thesw'in'gable head V frame is guided andadjusted in animproved manner.

An object` of the present invention isto provide an improved minevein-attacking and disintegrating.. mechanism. Another object is toprovide an improved guiding and adjusting means for the adjustable outerend po'rtion of the head frame of the attacking and disintegratingmechanism. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will,however, hereinafter more fully appear.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.102,996, filed July 5, 1949, which is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Serial No. 47,422, tiled September 2, 1948, now abandoned.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assumein practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through theforward portion of a continuous mining apparatus and illustratingdetails of the improved guiding and adjusting means for thedisintegrating head frame.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the vein-attacking anddisintegrating mechanism.

The continuous mining apparatus of the present invention generallycomprises a base 1 carrying a frame structure 2 on which a minevein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism or so-called disintegratinghead generally designated 3 is pivotally mounted at 4 to swing invertical planes. Associated with the attacking and disintegratingmechanism is a oor clean-up device 5 carried by the frame structure 2beneath the attacking and disintegrating mechanism. Extensible fluidjacks 5 operatively connected to depending armlike projections 6 se-lcured to the head frame serve to swing the attacking and disintegratingmechanism in vertical planes about its the side plates-28.

2 pivot during the mining operation, and a conveyor means 7 on the framestructure receivesthe disintegrated mineral discharged from theattacking and disintegrating, mechanismand conveys, the mineralreceivedtherebygrearwardly of the apparatus.

The attacking and disintegrating mechanismAS: com-l prises a verticallyswingable head frame or` barstructure 8 extending forwardly` in advanceofthe framestructurez. A series of endless disintegrating chains9 are'vguided in parallel guideways'10 for circulation in verticalforbitalpaths about the head frame and-each :chainycomprisesa series of chainblocks 11 pivotally connected by strap links 12 which are pivotallyconnected to the blocks'by hinge pins 13. The blocks have lateral gibs14,at their bases received in theguideways, and projecting laterally inthe blocks arelugs 15; which have sockets for receiving' adjustablefront end portion has `parallel vtubular elementsV 25 secured to theadjustable outer end portionbrace the forward ends of fthe sideplates28of the rearward frame portion. The tubular guides 26 are preferablywelded to the transverse plates 27 and have'l parallel bores in whichtheutubular elements 25 are`, recelived. The tubular elements have threadedportions.A engaged by adjustingv screws 30, and the screwsh'ave collars`31 engaging inwardly directed anges 32 on the drearward ends of thetubular guides 26. The screws have polygonal portions 33 which areaccessible through suitable side openings 34 in the side plates 28 andare engageable by a suitable turning instrument such as a wrench.

Supported within end supports 35 secured to the side plates 20 of thebar idler head is a transverse shaft 36 which supports bearings 37 onwhich an elongated idler roll 38 is journaled. The endlessdisintegrating chains are guided by the idler roll 38 as they passaround the outer end of the swingable bar structure 8. Thus, by suitablyadjusting the screws 30, the adjustable frame portion or bar idler head19 may be adjusted longitudinally outwardly or be permitted to movelongitudinally inwardly along its guides relative to the rear frameportion to vary the tension of the chains.

The motor operated driving means for the disintegrating chains, asdisclosed in my copending application above referred to, includes atransverse drive shaft 39 coaxial with the pivot of the swingable frame8, and keyed to this shaft is a series of chain sprockets 40 whichengage and drive the endless disintegrating chains.

As a result of this invention, an improved mine veinattacking anddisintegrating mechanism is provided having improved adjusting means forthe disintegrating elements. By the provision of the improved guidingand adjusting means for the outer end portion of the disintegratinghead, adjustment of the endless disintegrating chains may be readily andeasily effected. The improved structure is relatively compact, readilyaccessible, and simple and rugged in design. Other advantages of theinvention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it

In ythis improved construction,` thez will be understood that this formof the same is shown for y purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an endless chain mechanism, a frame means having a chain sprocketdriving means at one end, a chain guide head mounted at the other end ofsaid frame means, chain guide head mounting means including concentric'inner and outer tubular elements fixed to respectively saidchain guide head and said frame means, said guide head mounting meansalso including frame side and chain guide head side plates, a frame sideplate` groove, a chain guide head side plate projection, said projectionslidingly received in said groove, a slot in said chain guide head sideplate projection longitudinally extended along the projection, a blockmounted to the base of said side plate groove through said slot holdingsaid projection in said groove, relative motion between said chain guidehead side plate projection and said frame side plate limited to motionof the projection longitudinally along the axis of said groove, relativemotion between said inner and outer tubular elements limited to alongitudinal axis parallel to the axis of permissible motion of saidchain guide head side plate projection in said frame side plate groove.

2. In the endless chain mechanism of claim 1, endless chain tensionadjusting means comprising force exerting means between said inner andouter tubular elements which positively increases and permits a decreasein the outward position of said chain guide head relative to said framemeans and of the inner tubular element in the outer tubular element andrespectively increasing and decreasing tension in the endless chain.

3. In a spacing and endless chain tension adjustment means between afirst and second relatively movable frame elements having guideways foran endless chain, concentric relatively movable inner and outer tubularelements, means for maintaining rotational alignment between said firstand second relatively movable frame elements, said outer tubular elementlongitudinally fixed to said first frame element, said inner tubularelement longitudinally and rotationally fixed to said second frameelement, said inner and outer tubular elements having coacting guideelements for spacing and tension adjustment of said second frame elementlongitudinally along the axis of said tubular elements, a screwadjusting means cooperatively threaded to said inner tubular element, al

thrust face at one end of said screw adjusting means, a thrust abutmenton said outer tubular element, said thrust abutment providing anabutment for the thrust face of said screw adjusting means, an openingthrough said thrust abutment, and adjusting means on the screw adjustingmeans thrust face adapted for suitable tool engagement in the region ofsaid opening, said means for maintaining rotational alignment betweensaid first and second relatively movable chain guiding frame elementscomprising a first side plate with a longitudinal guiding slot fixed tosaid first frame element, a second side plate with a guide projectionslidingly received in said longitudinal guiding slot of said first sideplate, the said second side plate fixed to said second frame element, ablock mounted on the inner wall of the guiding slot of said first sideplate, and a slot within and longitudinally aligned with said guideprojection, said block engaged in said last mentioned slot for retainingsaid guide projection of said second side plate in the slot of saidfirst

